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Motorcyle deaths down in Virginia: How to ride safely

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virginiaMay is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. It’s definitely needed, as motorcycle fatalities nationwide were up 10 percent in 2015 as compared to 2014.

The Governors Highway Safety Associationestimates the final total to be 5,010, only the third time in history the death toll has topped 5,000. In 2014 the toll was 4,548.

The news is better in Virginia, where motorcycle deaths were down a whopping 11 percent in 2015, totaling 79, down from 90 in 2014.

How to ride safely:

  •  Always wear a DOT-compliant helmet, even when not required by state law.
  • Wear bright-colored clothing to make it easier to be seen by other drivers.
  • Never ride impaired by alcohol or other drugs.
  • Obey posted speed limits.
  • When purchasing a new motorcycle, opt for a model with antilock brakes, which have been shown to decrease fatal motorcycle crashes by preventing a motorcycle’s wheels from locking during braking and assisting with maintaining the stability of the motorcycle.

Drivers of other motor vehicles should always be aware and looking out for motorcyclists around them and, of course, obey all traffic laws.

For more information about motorcycle safety, check out State Farm.

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